Suspension, head gimbal assembly and disk drive apparatus with head gimbal assembly

Abstract

A suspension includes a resilient flexure for adhering and supporting a head slider that has at least one head element, a load beam that supports said flexure, and a FPC member independently formed and fixed to the flexure and the load beam, having a plurality of connection pads electrically connected to the at least one head element and a plurality of trace conductors. One ends of the trace conductors are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pads, respectively. The FPC member has at least one slot formed at its face to which the head slider is adhered and located near the plurality of connection pads.

1 . A suspension comprising: 
 a resilient flexure for adhering and supporting a head slider that has at least one head element;    a load beam that supports said flexure; and    a flexible print circuit member independently formed and fixed to said flexure and said load beam, having a plurality of connection pads electrically connected to said at least one head element and a plurality of trace conductors, one ends of said trace conductors being electrically connected to said plurality of connection pads, respectively,    said flexible print circuit member having at least one slot formed at its face to which said head slider is adhered and located near said plurality of connection pads.    
   
   
       2 . The suspension as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one though slot penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       3 . The suspension as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one blind slot not penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       4 . The suspension as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot includes a single slot running in a lateral direction of said suspension.  
   
   
       5 . The suspension as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said single slot has a length longer than a total lateral width of said plurality of connection pads.  
   
   
       6 . The suspension as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said flexure and said load beam are formed by metal plate members, respectively.  
   
   
       7 . A head gimbal assembly comprising: 
 a head slider having at least one head element;    a resilient flexure that adheres and supports said head slider;    a load beam that supports said flexure; and    a flexible print circuit member independently formed and fixed to said flexure and said load beam, having a plurality of connection pads electrically connected to said at least one head element and a plurality of trace conductors, one ends of said trace conductors being electrically connected to said plurality of connection pads, respectively,    said flexible print circuit member having at least one slot formed at its face to which said head slider is adhered and located near said plurality of connection pads.    
   
   
       8 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one though slot penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       9 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one blind slot not penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       10 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said at least one slot includes a single slot running in a lateral direction of said head gimbal assembly.  
   
   
       11 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said single slot has a length longer than a total lateral width of said plurality of connection pads.  
   
   
       12 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said flexure and said load beam are formed by metal plate members, respectively.  
   
   
       13 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said head slider is electrically conductive with said flexure by a conductive paste.  
   
   
       14 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said head slider is adhered to said flexure by a resin adhesive.  
   
   
       15 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said resin adhesive is a thermal cure resin adhesive.  
   
   
       16 . The head gimbal assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said resin adhesive is a ultra violet cure resin adhesive.  
   
   
       17 . A disk drive apparatus having at least one head gimbal assembly, said at least one head gimbal assembly comprising: 
 a head slider having at least one head element;    a resilient flexure that adheres and supports said head slider;    a load beam that supports said flexure; and    a flexible print circuit member independently formed and fixed to said flexure and said load beam, having a plurality of connection pads electrically connected to said at least one head element and a plurality of trace conductors, one ends of said trace conductors being electrically connected to said plurality of connection pads, respectively,    said flexible print circuit member having at least one slot formed at its face to which said head slider is adhered and located near said plurality of connection pads.    
   
   
       18 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one though slot penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       19 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said at least one slot includes at least one blind slot not penetrating said flexible print circuit member.  
   
   
       20 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said at least one slot includes a single slot running in a lateral direction of said head gimbal assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said single slot has a length longer than a total lateral width of said plurality of connection pads.  
   
   
       22 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said flexure and said load beam are formed by metal plate members, respectively.  
   
   
       23 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said head slider is electrically conductive with said flexure by a conductive paste.  
   
   
       24 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said head slider is adhered to said flexure by a resin adhesive.  
   
   
       25 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said resin adhesive is a thermal cure resin adhesive.  
   
   
       26 . The disk drive apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said resin adhesive is a ultra violet cure resin adhesive.